Disney: Marketing That Makes You Feel Like a Princess

When I walk into the Disney store and I see all these little girls running around in pink tulle dresses and waving their scepters around, I admit I get a little jealous. Disney princess toys weren’t this grand when I was growing up, and they just keep getting better and better each year. In fact, the Princess franchise contributes to the bulk of the company’s annual profits, with bringing in about $1.6 billion nationally and $3 billion globally in 2012 alone.

Is this extraordinary success simply spun out of magic just like our beloved princess’ fairy tale lives? Well, yes marketing magic that is! Behind the glitter and pink fluff sits a group of important grown up people in suits that are the masterminds behind the whole Princess brand. What is their main goal? Make a Disney Princess product for every product there is in the world. Clothing, shoes, plates, backpack, TV sets, chewable vitamins, pens, cell phone covers, stationary, etc.

The most unassuming everyday objects around your house will soon be splattered with Snow White, Cinderella, and the rest of the crew. The strategy here is to make Disney Princesses not just film characters, but also a lifestyle brand that will intertwine with girls’ identities with each usage. I don’t know about you, but back when I wrote my 4th grade essay with my sparkly yellow Belle ballpoint pen, I felt like I was drafting a royal document for the entire enchanted kingdom.

There is a deeper explanation on why everyday items are constantly Princess-ified and why everybody is okay with that. The Disney Princess brand offers a magical world where you can escape the dull of everyday life and slip into a world where they can talk to animals, fall in love with a handsome prince, and have an amazing long bouncy flow of hair. The road to that fantasy world is can be reached just buy using something that is stamped with the Princess seal.

Fantasyland in Disneyland is the number one place to bring the marketing out to play. Girls ages from 3 to 12 can visit Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for a complete Princess makeover, including hair, makeup, nails, sash and other royal princess necessities. Prices range from $54.95 to $189.95 dollars depending on the package you choose. That is a brilliant marketing idea. Lots of little girls spot their favorite Princesses wandering around the theme park so this is their chance to be just like them!

What about witnessing a historic Disney Magic moment by attending a Princess induction ceremony? On October 2, 2011, Disney welcomed Rapunzel to the Disney Princess royal court as the 10th official princess with a special ceremony at the Kensington Palace in London. Go watch it on Youtube. It is complete with white horse carriages, parade, pink banners and a sprinkle of pixie dust. Queen Elizabeth would have been jealous. What better than a royal induction ceremony to watch Rapunzel product sales fly through the roof?

Don’t think this Princess spell is only for girls under the age of 12? We young adults can get sucked right into the loop too. After all, the Princess fantasy doesn’t ever fade away, does it? Sephora knows that. That’s why the cosmetics giant released a special Disney princess line for each of our favorite princesses: Ariel Storylook eyeshadow palette, Cinderella So This is Love fragrance, and Jasmine Three Wishes eyeliner collection.

The product packaging is not the same Crayola pink color as your daughter’s Princess plastic playhouse. Each cosmetic item comes in a sleek and modern package with a hint of ornate feminine details. The print advertising? Avant garde and straight out of Vogue magazine! Again, the same allure to become like our favorite princesses is still there, but the marketing is adjusted for each age group.